Influence of Microbial Inoculants and their Consortia on Yield and Nutrient Uptake in Maize Grown on Vertisol

The present field experiment was undertaken at Wheat and Maize Research Unit, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during Kharif season of 2022. Ten different treatment combinations were used in the experiment which included different microbial inoculants and their consortia ie Azospirillum + Bacillus megaterium (Consortia -I), Azospirillum + Frateuria aurantia (Consortia-II), Azospirillum + Thiobacillus thioxidans (Consortia-III), Azospirillum + Pseudomonas strita (Consortia- ⅠⅤ ), Azospirillum + Bacillus megaterium + Frateuria aurantia (Consortia-Ⅴ), Azospirillum + Bacillus megaterium + Thiobacillus thioxidans (Consortia- ⅤI ), Azospirillum + Bacillus megaterium + Pseudomonas strita (Consortia- ⅤII ), and control replicated thrice in RBD (Randomized Block Design). Seed treatment of maize was done with microbial inoculants consortia @ 10 ml kg -1 seed before sowing with recommended dose of fertilizers. Among all the treatments, Azospirillum + Bacillus megaterium + Thiobacillus thioxidans (Consortia- ⅤII) noted significantly higher grain and stover yield of maize (8156.00 and 9836.66 kg ha -1 respectively). Furthermore, total uptake of NPK was found significantly higher (395, 99.99 and 170.65 kg ha -1) with consortia VII. Study concludes that recommended dose of fertilizers with microbial consortia helped in improving yield and nutrient content in plants and grain of maize grown in Vertisol.